Mobile conveyor including alignment system

Abstract

An articulated apparatus including a first section having first and second ends, and a length between the first and second ends; a second section having first and second ends, and a length between the first and second ends; a joint connecting the second end of the first section to the first end of the second section for pivotal movement about a first axis; and a cylinder/piston assembly having a piston connected to the first section and movable with the first conveyor section, and having a cylinder mounted to the second section and movable with the second section, the piston being slidably received in the cylinder, and a transmitter and a receiver capable of determining the location of the piston in the cylinder, the transmitter and receiver being located within the cylinder.

I claim: 
     
       1. An articulated mobile conveyor which is movable relative to the ground, the conveyor comprising: a first conveyor section including a frame having first and second ends, and a length between the first and second ends, the frame being supported from the ground for movement relative to the ground in at least a direction transverse to the length;   a second conveyor section including a frame having first and second ends, and a length between the first and second ends, the frame of the second conveyor section being supported from the ground for movement relative to the ground in at least a direction transverse to the length of the second conveyor section;   a joint connecting the second end of the first conveyor section to the first end of the second conveyor section for pivotal movement about a first axis; and   a cylinder/piston assembly having a piston connected to the first conveyor section and movable with the first conveyor section, having a cylinder mounted to the second conveyor section and movable with the second conveyor section, the piston being slidably received in the cylinder, and a transmitter and a receiver capable of determining the location of the piston in the cylinder, the transmitter and receiver being located within the cylinder.   
     
     
       2. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the piston is movable within the cylinder along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
       3. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first axis is a vertical axis. 
     
     
       4. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the joint connecting the second end of the first conveyor section to the first end of the second conveyor section is a ball joint which further provides for pivotal movement about at least a third, horizontal, axis. 
     
     
       5. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising a support connecting the piston/cylinder assembly to the first conveyor section, the support including a pivot providing for pivotal movement about the third axis, thereby accommodating differences in terrain over which the first and second conveyor sections are located. 
     
     
       6. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmitter is an ultrasonic transmitter. 
     
     
       7. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cylinder includes an endwall, wherein the piston has a head which moves toward and away from the endwall to define a variable volume chamber between the piston head and the cylinder endwall, wherein the transmitter is located in the chamber at the endwall, and wherein the transmitter is mounted to transmit a signal against the piston head. 
     
     
       8. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 7, wherein the receiver is mounted to receive the signal after it is reflected from the piston head, and further comprising a timer connected to the transmitter and receiver and to calculate the amount of time for the signal to be reflected from the piston head to the receiver. 
     
     
       9. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising circuitry connected to the timer for determining an amount of misalignment based on the calculated amount of time. 
     
     
       10. An articulated mobile conveyor which is movable relative to the ground, the conveyor comprising: a first conveyor section including first and second ends, means for conveying material between the first and second ends, means for moving the section relative to the ground, and a length between the first and second ends;   a second conveyor section including first and second ends, means for conveying material between the first and second ends of the second conveyor section, means for moving the second section relative to the ground, and a length between the first and second ends of the second conveyor section;   means connecting the second end of the first conveyor to the first end of the second conveyor for pivotal movement about a first axis; and   means for aligning the first conveyor section with the second conveyor section, such that the length of the first conveyor section is parallel to the length of the second conveyor section, the aligning means including a cylinder/piston assembly having a piston supported by the first conveyor section, and a cylinder supported by the second conveyor section, the piston being slidably received in the cylinder, and the aligning means further including means, including a transmitter, for determining the location of the piston in the cylinder.   
     
     
       11. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 10 wherein the piston is movable within the cylinder along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
       12. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 10 wherein the first axis is a vertical axis. 
     
     
       13. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 10 wherein the means connecting the second end of the first conveyor to the first end of the second conveyor further provides for pivotal movement about at least a third, horizontal axis. 
     
     
       14. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 13 and further comprising a support connecting the piston/cylinder assembly to the first conveyor section, the support including a pivot providing for pivotal movement about the third axis. 
     
     
       15. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 10 wherein the transmitter is an ultrasonic transmitter. 
     
     
       16. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 10 wherein the piston has a piston head, and wherein the transmitter is mounted to transmit a signal against the piston head. 
     
     
       17. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 16 and further comprising a receiver in the cylinder, wherein the receiver is mounted to receive the signal after it is reflected from the piston head, and further comprising means for calculating the amount of time for the signal to be reflected from the piston head to the receiver. 
     
     
       18. An articulated mobile conveyor in accordance with claim 17 and further comprising means for determining an amount of misalignment based on the calculated amount of time. 
     
     
       19. An articulated conveyor comprising: a first conveyor section including first and second ends;   a second conveyor section including first and second ends;   a joint connecting the second end of the first conveyor section to the first end of the second conveyor section; and   an aligner selectively aligning the first conveyor section with the second conveyor section, the aligner including an ultrasonic transmitter.